PSEG Names Calvin Ledford Jr. as President of PSEG Foundation
(NEWARK, N.J. – Aug. 13, 2020) Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) announced today that Calvin R. Ledford Jr. has been named president of the PSEG Foundation and director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effective immediately. In his new role, Ledford will have oversight of the philanthropic areas of corporate citizenship: volunteerism, corporate giving and the foundation’s programs operations.
“Calvin has extensive experience working with communities and stakeholders all across our service territory,” said Rick Thigpen, senior vice president for Corporate Citizenship and chairman of the PSEG Foundation. “We are fortunate to have an executive deeply committed to the cause of equity and aligned with the Foundation’s impactful strategy as President of the Foundation and the leader of our corporate charitable activities. He will help us continue our tradition of making New Jersey a better place to live.”
PSEG has a more-than-100-year history of giving back to the communities where it operates – led by active employee involvement. In his new role, Ledford will help guide the PSEG Foundation, which has been named one of the state's top foundations by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. The PSEG Foundation is the philanthropic arm of PSEG and an established 501(c)(3) charitable organization, prioritizing investments in the environment, safety, emergency preparedness and disaster relief, STEM education and workforce development, diversity & inclusion, and the communities served by PSEG.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, PSEG and the PSEG Foundation have supported the efforts of the health care community and organizations that support vulnerable groups, donating thousands of masks and gloves early in the pandemic, supporting local food banks and community organizations and committing $2.5 million to support medical, social and economic needs of New Jersey communities, including a $1 million grant to NJ Pandemic Relief Fund.
In June, PSEG and the PSEG Foundation announced the launch of the new Powering Equity and Social Justice initiative, which includes a $1 million commitment to support organizations that address the racial injustice, inequality and human rights in communities of color.
“By providing support for organizations that seek to foster justice and social equity, and those that enhance health and educational outcomes, we hope to lead change and make a purposeful difference in the communities we serve," Ledford said. “We’re proud of our long history as corporate citizens of New Jersey and the City of Newark, where PSEG has kept its headquarters since the company was founded in 1903. In my new role, I hope to reinforce PSEG’s core commitments through citizenship and corporate philanthropy, supporting social justice issues and making investments in the environment and STEM education in the communities we serve. By ensuring these activities are integrated with business strategy, employee volunteerism and charitable donations, I will help to create shared value for the company while ensuring positive outcomes and impacts for the long term.”
As part of its focus on the environment, safety, STEM education and workforce development, diversity & inclusion, PSEG is seeking to develop and strengthen partnerships with organizations dedicated to social justice and building bridges between law enforcement and communities. The PSEG Foundation expects to announce the first philanthropic partners under this initiative in the coming weeks. As described in the 2019 PSEG Sustainability Report, the foundation has committed to increasing its environmental funding to 20% of annual giving by 2023.
Ledford also will oversee PSEG's employee programs dedicated to volunteerism by PSEG’s 13,000 employees. Ledford has over 30 years of experience and prior to this role, he was director of External Affairs at PSEG managing the team that liaises with public officials in New Jersey’s northern counties and municipalities. Ledford has also interacted with key non-profit/philanthropic community partners within that region. He has facilitated community development through execution of PSE&G’s electric and gas capital projects. Ledford serves as the Chairman of the Newark Regional Business Partnership and Board member of the Foundation of University Hospital, Education Foundation of the League of Municipalities and Leadership Newark. He is a graduate of Leadership Newark and Lead New Jersey.
About PSEG
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with approximately 13,000 employees. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG's principal operating subsidiaries are: Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island. PSEG is a Fortune 500 company included in the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 12 consecutive years (https://corporate.pseg.com).
About The PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation, 501(c)(3), the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), prioritizes investments in the environment, safety, STEM education & workforce development, diversity & inclusion, and the communities served by PSEG. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG is a diversified energy company with approximately 13,000 employees. In 2020, PSEG was named one of Forbes’ Best Employers For Diversity for the third year in a row. In addition, PSEG was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for the 12th consecutive year in 2019 and received a Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 2018 rating of 100 percent. (https://corporate.pseg.com/corporatecitizenship/psegfoundation).
“Calvin has extensive experience working with communities and stakeholders all across our service territory,” said Rick Thigpen, senior vice president for Corporate Citizenship and chairman of the PSEG Foundation. “We are fortunate to have an executive deeply committed to the cause of equity and aligned with the Foundation’s impactful strategy as President of the Foundation and the leader of our corporate charitable activities. He will help us continue our tradition of making New Jersey a better place to live.”
PSEG has a more-than-100-year history of giving back to the communities where it operates – led by active employee involvement. In his new role, Ledford will help guide the PSEG Foundation, which has been named one of the state's top foundations by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. The PSEG Foundation is the philanthropic arm of PSEG and an established 501(c)(3) charitable organization, prioritizing investments in the environment, safety, emergency preparedness and disaster relief, STEM education and workforce development, diversity & inclusion, and the communities served by PSEG.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, PSEG and the PSEG Foundation have supported the efforts of the health care community and organizations that support vulnerable groups, donating thousands of masks and gloves early in the pandemic, supporting local food banks and community organizations and committing $2.5 million to support medical, social and economic needs of New Jersey communities, including a $1 million grant to NJ Pandemic Relief Fund.
In June, PSEG and the PSEG Foundation announced the launch of the new Powering Equity and Social Justice initiative, which includes a $1 million commitment to support organizations that address the racial injustice, inequality and human rights in communities of color.
“By providing support for organizations that seek to foster justice and social equity, and those that enhance health and educational outcomes, we hope to lead change and make a purposeful difference in the communities we serve," Ledford said. “We’re proud of our long history as corporate citizens of New Jersey and the City of Newark, where PSEG has kept its headquarters since the company was founded in 1903. In my new role, I hope to reinforce PSEG’s core commitments through citizenship and corporate philanthropy, supporting social justice issues and making investments in the environment and STEM education in the communities we serve. By ensuring these activities are integrated with business strategy, employee volunteerism and charitable donations, I will help to create shared value for the company while ensuring positive outcomes and impacts for the long term.”
As part of its focus on the environment, safety, STEM education and workforce development, diversity & inclusion, PSEG is seeking to develop and strengthen partnerships with organizations dedicated to social justice and building bridges between law enforcement and communities. The PSEG Foundation expects to announce the first philanthropic partners under this initiative in the coming weeks. As described in the 2019 PSEG Sustainability Report, the foundation has committed to increasing its environmental funding to 20% of annual giving by 2023.
Ledford also will oversee PSEG's employee programs dedicated to volunteerism by PSEG’s 13,000 employees. Ledford has over 30 years of experience and prior to this role, he was director of External Affairs at PSEG managing the team that liaises with public officials in New Jersey’s northern counties and municipalities. Ledford has also interacted with key non-profit/philanthropic community partners within that region. He has facilitated community development through execution of PSE&G’s electric and gas capital projects. Ledford serves as the Chairman of the Newark Regional Business Partnership and Board member of the Foundation of University Hospital, Education Foundation of the League of Municipalities and Leadership Newark. He is a graduate of Leadership Newark and Lead New Jersey.
About PSEG
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with approximately 13,000 employees. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG's principal operating subsidiaries are: Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island. PSEG is a Fortune 500 company included in the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 12 consecutive years (https://corporate.pseg.com).
About The PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation, 501(c)(3), the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), prioritizes investments in the environment, safety, STEM education & workforce development, diversity & inclusion, and the communities served by PSEG. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG is a diversified energy company with approximately 13,000 employees. In 2020, PSEG was named one of Forbes’ Best Employers For Diversity for the third year in a row. In addition, PSEG was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for the 12th consecutive year in 2019 and received a Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 2018 rating of 100 percent. (https://corporate.pseg.com/corporatecitizenship/psegfoundation).
